The earliest recorded evidence of association between humans and pigeons is held in an ancient Mesopotamian tablet, made around 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. At the time, individuals used clay tablets to keep record of possessions and made marks by pressing thin reed stems into the soft clay. These tablets show that pioneering farmers of the area bred pigeons for food, religious ceremonies, and fertilizer in the form of their droppings. (Skidmore, 2012) However, archeological evidence shows pigeons as a source of food for humans as early as Pleistocene era (~10,000), though whether or not these pigeons were domesticated is unknown. (Shapiro & Domyan, 2013)
Mosaic from 6th century Maon Synagogue Israel; an example of ancient art depicting pigeons as domesticated animals. (Suton, 2022)
References
Skidmore, S. (2012) Pigeon history - part 1 - Lingdale Homing Society, Pigeon History - Part 1 - Lingdale Homing Society. Lingdale Homing Society. Available at: https://sites.google.com/site/lingdaleh ... eon-racing (Accessed: November 19, 2022).
Shapiro, M.D. and Domyan, E.T. (2013) “Domestic pigeons,” Current Biology, 23(8). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.01.063.
Suton, C. (2022) Mosaic from 6th century Maon Synagogue Israel, The Royal Pigeon Racing Association | Pigeons Through History. The Royal Pigeon Racing Association. Available at: https://www.rpra.org/pigeon-history/ (Accessed: November 19, 2022).
